Which word class includes demonstratives like 'this' and 'that'?

Which word class includes demonstratives like 'this' and 'that'?

• A. Adjective
• B. Demonstrative
• C. Pronoun
• D. Preposition

Answer: (B)

Demonstratives are a small, named group of words used to point to a specific thing or person. This set includes words like this, that, these, and those. They’re the category because they’re designated for indicating which item you’re talking about, rather than simply describing it or showing a relationship. When they come before a noun, they act as demonstrative determiners, as in this chair or those problems, narrowing down which noun you mean. When they stand alone, they function as demonstrative pronouns, as in This is mine. That combination of pointing and versatility is why the class name is demonstrative. An adjective describes nouns more generally, a pronoun is a broader category that can include many kinds of words, and a preposition isn’t about pointing to a noun at all.

Demonstratives are a small, named group of words used to point to a specific thing or person. This set includes words like this, that, these, and those. They’re the category because they’re designated for indicating which item you’re talking about, rather than simply describing it or showing a relationship.

When they come before a noun, they act as demonstrative determiners, as in this chair or those problems, narrowing down which noun you mean. When they stand alone, they function as demonstrative pronouns, as in This is mine. That combination of pointing and versatility is why the class name is demonstrative. An adjective describes nouns more generally, a pronoun is a broader category that can include many kinds of words, and a preposition isn’t about pointing to a noun at all.